City of St. Louis, MO

11/06/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/06/2024 11:14

City of St. Louis Rolls Out Short-Term Rental Permit, Gives Owners Six Months to Apply

City of St. Louis Rolls Out Short-Term Rental Permit, Gives Owners Six Months to Apply

For the first time, the City of St. Louis will require a permit to operate a short-term rental (STR) unit within the City

November 6, 2024 | 2 min reading time

For the first time, the City of St. Louis will require a permit to operate a short-term rental (STR) unit within the City. Beginning today, short-term rental owners and short-term rental platforms must apply for a permit, and have until May 6, 2025, to receive a permit.

"We heard our community members loud and clear, and now St. Louis City is following national best practices in regulating this industry," said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. "As a City, we can both encourage tourism and ensure that these rental units are not a nuisance in their neighborhoods."

Ordinance 71729 requires STR properties to meet certain standards at the risk of having their permit revoked for non-compliance. This ordinance also places restrictions on how many STRs can operate in multi-family structures, as well as how many units can be operated by a single owner.

The City has contracted with Host Compliance through Granicus to establish real-time issue monitoring. Through this system, the City will scan rental listing sites and use human analysts to identify short term rental properties, allowing the City to know where STRs are operating and if they have a permit.

The City will also have an STR-specific hotline, both online and by phone at (314) 798-9245, where residents can report short-term rental-related issues. The powerful reporting tools available to the City will allow the City to know when there is a new short-term rental, which properties have reported issues, and all contact information associated with the property. This is part of the City's effort to keep residents safe, as the SLMPD has documented numerous incidents at short term rentals, including shootings and homicides.

Legislation enacting the ordinance was signed into law on Nov. 6, 2023, and the Building Division was given one year to work with the Board of Public Service to promulgate rules on the ordinance. Those seeking a permit will have until May 6, 2025, to get their permit before they will be in violation of the ordinance.